In it a few — that is, eight people — were saved through water.” 21 “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the pledge of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 3:21 HCSB

Baptism now saves you through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Baptism is more than just a bath or a shower. It is a pledge toward God. When we get baptized we are saying yes I am a follower of Jesus and I want everyone to know it! I am committing, before these witnesses, that I will be following Jesus for the rest of my life. That is what saves us. The water does not. The preacher does not. The fact you got wet does not. BUT your confession and determination to follow Jesus does. Jesus got baptized by John. And now we follow Jesus in baptism.  Yes we are saved when we trust Jesus as our savior. But we are continually being saved as we follow Jesus. Baptism also invites others to encourage our walk with Jesus. They have heard your commitment to follow Jesus and now they can, should, and better help us learn how to walk with Jesus. It is the great commission of Matthew 28:18-20.

“Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

Matthew 28:18-20 HCSB

http://bible.com/72/mat.28.18-20.hcsb

First we are to be baptized then we are to learn.  After we learn we are to teach others. 

“He also appointed 12 — He also named them apostles — to be with Him, to send them out to preach,”

Mark 3:14 HCSB

http://bible.com/72/mrk.3.14.hcsb

“You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

2 Timothy 2:1-2 HCSB

http://bible.com/72/2ti.2.1-2.hcsb

The follower of Jesus who is not learning from another Christian may be learning the wrong Jesus. The Cristian that is not helping another Christian may not be following the right Jesus. No one of us feels capable in teaching another about Jesus because we don’t have it all figured out. We all feel inadequate but those are the people God wants to use. People who are willing to trust Him and put their own agendas aside. 

“Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a log in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

Matthew 7:3-5 HCSB

http://bible.com/72/mat.7.3-5.hcsb

We all have logs in our lives. BUT Jesus wants us to deal with it before Him and with other christians and then we can help remove that same speck out of someone else. Why is it a log for us then a speck for someone else? I think that It was a big deal to us but after Jesus removes it from us then  it turns out to be insignificant when helping others.